This invention relates to a corrective brace for a toe- or fingernail, especially a toenail.
In foot care, toe nails frequently require attention because they become ingrown, that is, their outer edges press painfully into the flesh. Such a condition makes walking difficult. If an ingrown toenail is left untreated, the nail can puncture the skin, leading to an infection that can become serious.
One well-known treatment for an ingrown toenail is surgical removal of the nail. However, the results of this treatment are painful both during and after the operation, and it requires a lengthy period of recuperation. During recuperation it is difficult for the patient to wear socks or stockings and shoes, which in turn makes it impossible to walk normally.
A non-surgical treatment is presented by orthonychia: straightening the nail via a brace. Such a brace, with hooks on the side, grips the nail under the edges and levers them up by spring action. With this action the curvature of the nail is reduced, and the infected area around the ingrown nail heals.
One brace for this treatment is a one-piece or unitary brace. However, a unitary brace is not suitable for treating festering or infected nails. Furthermore, the unitary brace has a disadvantage in that nails vary greatly in their curvature and size.
DE 37 11 755 C2 discloses a nail-correcting brace which has two wire brace parts. It is fixed sideways over the nail and fitted at one end with a hook which is secured under the nail. The other end has a joining indentation to connect the brace with a spring clamp. Even though this brace is better than a unitary brace, it still has a major disadvantage: the spring clamp is not flexible enough for some cases and therefore cannot be used to treat them.